A Hidden Past
by Settiai
Summary: [WIP] When the past of one of the Heroes comes back to haunt him, little does anyone know how much their lives will change.
1. Dreams Of The Past

Title: A Hidden Past  
  
Author: Settiai 

Disclaimer: "Hogan's Heroes" and other related characters are not properties of myself. No infringement is intended. This story, such as it is, was written as a sign of respect and love for the characters, the show, and their creator. I claim no ownership of the aforementioned show and characters.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: The past of one of the Heroes comes back to haunt him, in the form of a beautiful young woman. No one could have known, however, how much trouble one nineteen-year-old girl could cause.

Feedback: Comments and helpful criticisms are always appreciated.

E-mail: lynn_foster@settiai.com

**********

Author's Note: If you have previously read this chapter, I highly suggest that you read it once more. In order to make events that transpire seem a little more plausible, I have chosen to change some of the facts that were previously stated. Also, I have tried to improve certain aspects of my writing, since my skills have progressed some since I started this story two years ago.

**********

__

"Push."

A cold wind blew through the cracks in the walls of the house, scarcely noticed by the people standing around the small bed in the center of the room. A young woman, no older than seventeen, lay on the bed, grinning weakly as the young man beside her tightly clutched her hand. The doctor standing beside her smiled gently as he said the words on more time.

"Push" 

As sweat poured down the woman's face, her husband squeezed her hand even tighter. "

"Come on 'Lisabeth, you can do it. Just another couple of pushes, and we'll be parents."

Even with the pain of childbirth bearing down on her, Elisabeth had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. She pushed her fingernails deep into her husband's hand, causing him to yelp in pain. Drawing out the last word, almost daring him to say something else, she smirked at him. 

"If you think that this is bad, why don't you try and have this baby. I'd love to see you try, darling."

He gave an exasperated sigh as she stuck her tongue out at him, but his annoyance faded as the young woman let out a loud moan of pain. Her grip on his hand tightened considerably, and he looked at the doctor worriedly. His fears were increased when he saw how pale the doctor's face was. 

"Doctor Johnson?"

The doctor quickly turned to Jack McHenry, Elisabeth's older brother, and motioned towards the door. The young man nodded, and gently steered his brother-in-law out of the room. Neither of the men noticed the worried look that the doctor and Anna, Jack's wife, shared.

**********

In the German POW camp, Stalag 13, one of the prisoners moaned in his sleep. He tossed and turned just enough to show that he was having some sort of nightmare, but not enough to wake up any of his fellow POW's.

**********

__

The two young men sat in the rickety chairs right outside the room, placated a great deal by the fact that there hadn't been anymore cries of pain in almost a half hour. Jack was actually starting to nod off when a sudden scream broke through the silence. He was almost forced to tackle his brother-in-law to the ground to keep him from dashing into the room.

As Jack wrestled the younger man to the ground, the loud cry of a baby cut through the air. All other thoughts flew from their minds as they looked stared at each other in astonishment. The door opened slightly, and Anna stepped through with a large smile on her face. 

"It's a girl."

Without warning, another bloodcurdling shriek suddenly split the air. Eyes wide, Anna dashed back into the room, shutting the door behind her. Jack stared at the door in shock as he slowly pulled himself to his feet, while the other young man sat on the floor where he was, his face taut with worry.

A few minutes later, though it had seemed like hours, Anna slowly stepped back into the room. The expression on her face told them all they needed to know. Jack's face went pale, and his brother-in-law just sank to the floor. Tears were streaming down his face as he called out the name of his wife. 

**********

At Stalag 13, the prisoner once again moaned; however, a single word sprang from his lips at the same time. 

"'Lisabeth." 

On a nearby bunk, one of his fellow POW's stirred slightly before gingerly opening his eyes and looking in the direction of his friend. An uncertain expression on his young face, the American slowly pulled himself up into a sitting position. 

**********

__

Jack McHenry stared at his brother-in-law with amazement in his eyes. 

"You can't be serious! Beth is your daughter, you bloody bastard! You can't just abandon her like this!"  


He was met by a pair of dark, woeful eyes. The other young man looked down at the sleeping four-month-old in his arms. Then he looked back up at Jack, tears threatening to start falling any time. 

"Jack, I'm only eighteen myself. If 'Lisabeth was still here, then the two of us might have been able to provide for Beth. But, as we both know, 'Lisabeth isn't here. I can't do it Jack. I'm doing this for my daughter's sake. She needs a good home, and I can't provide her with one. You and Anna can raise her much better than I can."

Jack looked at him seriously. The face he was staring into was still boyish and full of youth, but those eyes were those of a man. He sighed gently. 

"I know, but it still doesn't seem right. Do you really want to do this?"

Once more, his brother-in-law looked down at his daughter. She stared back at him with utter innocence with bright green eyes. 

"You know damn well that I don't, Jack, but it has to be this way. I want you to promise me something, though. I want you to tell her about me, but I don't want her to have my name. She doesn't deserve my name." 

He stared into Jack's eyes. 

"Tell Anna that I love her as much as my own sister, and that I hope she is a good mother."

As he slowly turned to walk away, Jack stared at him in complete surprise. 

"Wait a second, what do you mean by that? She's your daughter, you bloody idiot! Are you going to just forget about her? Damn it all, Peter, answer me."

He didn't get an answer. All he saw was his brother-in-law, turning his back on his past and seemingly embracing his future. Jack didn't see the tears rolling down his face, or hear his quiet words. 

"Goodbye, Beth."

**********

Sergeant Andrew Carter gave a slight sigh. He could tell that something was wrong with his friend. It wasn't like him to be a restless sleeper. The young American sat there for a few minutes, listening to the quiet moans coming from the other side of the room.

After a few moments pause, Carter slowly pulled himself out of bed and quietly made his over to the other bunk. He stood there for a few more seconds, silently bracing himself for the tongue-lashing his friend was sure to give him. Then, with a quiet intake of breath, he gently tapped his fellow POW on the arm.

The dark-haired Englishman woke up immediately, his eyes moving wildly around the room. 

"What in the..."

His eyes finally froze on the younger man, who was still standing beside his bed with a sheepish expression on his face. 

"Carter! What the bloody hell are you trying to do, give me a heart attack!"

Though his words were harsh, a tired grin played on his face. Carter let out a relieved sigh, a weak smile coming to his face. 

"You were having a nightmare or something, I think. I mean, you were tossing and turning, and I could hear you moaning from my bunk." 

The smile on his face slowly faded as a sudden though suddenly came to his mind. 

"By the way, Newkirk, who exactly is Elisabeth?"

The other man, Corporal Peter Newkirk, felt the blood drain from his face. Memories from the past suddenly assailed his mind, and a slight tremor went up his spine. Why were all of these things coming back to him now?

Newkirk suddenly realized that the younger man was still standing there, staring at him with an anxious expression on his face. 

"No one, Carter. She's no one."

Carter stared at him for a few seconds before shrugging slightly and heading back to his own bunk. He could tell that Newkirk was hiding something, but until the other man wanted him to know what that was, he wouldn't ask.

**********

In the dark forests of Germany, a young RAF pilot ran as fast as humanly possible. Being captured by the Nazis was not an option, not with the secret this young person was hiding. Suddenly, with a loud cry, the pilot tripped as her right leg caught in the root of a large tree.

Before she even had a chance to pull herself back to her feet, a bright light abruptly shined in her green eyes. Instinctively, she covered her eyes, grimacing in pain from the intense light. As she pulled her hands away, she found herself staring into the business end of a German's gun.

She could feel the Kraut's eyes moving over her body, and she silently prayed that the binding she wore on her chest, added to the male's uniform she was wearing, would keep her identity safe. It was bad enough being captured, but she knew very well what would happen if they discovered that she was a female.

The young woman quietly held her breath as his gaze drifted over her. When he finally let his stare drop, she let out a silent sigh of relief. As the German soldier gestured for her to stand up and start marching, however, she felt a tremor of fear shoot down her spine. What was the old saying her uncle had always said? _Out of the frying pan, into the fire._


	2. Secrets Revealed

Author's Note #1: If you have previously read this chapter, I highly suggest that you read it once more. In order to make events that transpire seem a little more plausible, I have chosen to change some of the facts that were previously stated. Also, I have tried to improve certain aspects of my writing, since my skills have progressed some since I started this story two years ago.

Author's Note #2: See first chapter for all other story information.

**********

The young woman looked down at the crudely drawn map that had been given to her by the ranking officer at Stalag Six with a nervous shudder. Even though it was night, there was still more than enough light for her to read the map, which caused her to become even more nervous than before. It would be so much safer if there was no moon.

She had been sent to the stalag almost two weeks earlier, her Nazi captors still in the dark about her true identity. How they had not found out she didn't know, but for whatever reason it was she was thankful. When she had been assigned to a barrack, however, she had told the ranking officer--an American captain--the truth about herself. A grim smile came to her face as she remembered his reaction to the unexpected news.

__

The young pilot stepped quietly into the room, her eyes moving nervously over Captain Harris. He didn't seem to notice her fear, however, as he smiled and gestured for her to sit down. 

"Hello, Lieutenant McHenry. Please, take a seat."  


Beth had sat down gingerly, her eyes not quite meeting his. By that point, the captain had finally realized that there was a reason she had came to talk to him. 

"Is something the matter?"

She had looked up after a moment, her eyes still not focusing on his. 

"If I might ask, sir, do you know what my name is?"  


He had stared at her in confusion for a few seconds before nodding slightly. 

"Yes lieutenant, I believe that I do. It's Renee McHenry, isn't it? Lieutenant Renee McHenry of the RAF."

Beth nodded slightly, but the color had started to fade from her face. 

"In a way, yes. Renee is my middle name. I thought that it would work better for my... purposes."  


By now, there was a suspicious glint in the American's eyes as he let his gaze drift over the young pilot sitting in front of him. 

"And what exactly do you mean by that, young man?"

At his words, she had let out a weak laugh before sinking even lower in the chair. 

"My full name is Elisabeth Renee McHenry, so I'm not exactly a young man."

The captain's eyes had gone wide, and his gaze had drifted over her body once more. This time, however, it stopped on the slight bulge underneath her shirt. 

"What? How?" 

Beth sighed slightly as she pulled her jacket even more tightly around her. She had told him most of her story, leaving out names so that no one but she could get into any trouble in the future. He had been furious at first, but after a few days had passed he had started to get used to the fact. 

Still, he had made sure that she was next in line to escape. Even though none of the other men there had known about her identity at that point, he was certain that they would soon find out. With his help, Beth was now free from her captors--at least she would be if she could reach the destination marked on the map. 

One more smile came to her face as she remembered the way that she had repaid the captain for his kindness towards her. It faded, though, as she once more looked down at the map. She was to meet up with the Underground, who would, in turn, help her get in touch with someone known as 'Papa Bear'. 

"Piece of cake," she whispered with a wry grin.

**********

"ROLL CALL!!!" 

Sergeant Hans Schultz stood in the doorway to Barracks Two, waiting impatiently for the prisoners to get into formation outside. 

"The Kommandant is not in a good mood this morning."

Colonel Robert Hogan shot an impish grin in Shultz's direction as he listened to his men groan as they pulled themselves out of their bunks. 

"Is Klink ever in a good mood, Shultz?"

The large German sergeant smiled good-naturedly at the American before firmly shaking his head. 

"Nein, I do not think that he is. In fact, it would be..."  


His words cut off as he suddenly remembered who he was talking to. An annoyed expression appeared on his face as he shot Hogan a rather irritated look. 

"No monkey business today."

Hogan merely shrugged at Shultz before pulling on his bomber jacket and heading towards the door. 

"Come on guys, you heard him." 

Most of the men were still grumbling as they walked outside, positioning themselves into a sloppy formation as Shultz quickly checked to make sure that all of them were there. His eyes widened in worry as he noticed an empty spot in the line, and he quickly shot a fretful look in Hogan's direction. 

The American colonel quickly noticed Shultz's gaze, and he let his eyes slowly drift towards the door to the barrack. The German's gaze followed Hogan's, and he gave a sigh of relief as Sergeant James Kinchloe hurried out the door and speedily made his way to his usual place. The faint smile of relief that had started to appear on his face faded almost instantaneously, however, as the voice of Kommandant Wilhelm Klink suddenly rang out across the compound. 

"Shultz! Are all the prisoners here?"

Shultz almost dropped the clipboard that he was holding as he spun around to salute the man who was now standing behind him. 

"Yes, Herr Kommandant. All men are present and accounted for."

"Fine then. Dis-missed!" 

As soon as Klink had dismissed them in his usual brisk manner, he turned and quickly walked away from the prisoners. The moment that he was out of their eyesight, all of the prisoners turned to go back into their barracks. The moment that Hogan stepped inside the door, he grabbed Kinch by the arm and steered the startled black man into his office. The two men were followed close behind by Corporal Louis LeBeau, Sergeant Andrew Carter, and Corporal Peter Newkirk.

When they were all inside of the room, Hogan quickly shut the door and turned expectantly towards his friend. 

"Well?"

Kinch gave him a weak grin, a sure sign that he knew that what he was about to say was going to upset his ranking officer. 

"Well Colonel, we have a new job if that's what you want to know. We're supposed to meet the Underground tomorrow night and pick up an escaped prisoner. Then we're supposed to get her out of the country."

Hogan's eyes narrowed in confusion at the mundane-sounding assignment. There was nothing about it that would explain the worried look that was now on his friend's face. 

"That seems pretty ordinary, Kinch. Exactly who is this prisoner that we're supp..."

A confused expression suddenly appeared on his face, and Hogan quickly shot his gaze back towards Kinchloe. 

"Please tell me that you didn't just say 'her', Kinch."

The African-American man shrugged apologetically before answering the colonel's unfinished question. 

"Yes sir, I said 'her'. Apparently, she's a lieutenant in the RAF who was shot down a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure exactly how she managed to get into the RAF in the first place, and London didn't really say. All I know is that she's been at Stalag Six for the last few weeks and, with the help of a Captain Harris, she managed to escape several days ago. We're supposed to make sure that she gets back to England in one piece and as soon as po..." 

Kinch trailed off as Newkirk's voice suddenly rang out from behind Hogan. 

"Colonel, I hereby volunteer to go and meet the Underground tomorrow. In fact, I insist." 

At his words, LeBeau's eyes suddenly grew wide. Without even thinking, he quickly threw in his plea. 

"Mon Colonel, I also volunteer. It would be a great honor to pick up this lieutenant." 

Carter didn't say a word, but he nodded his head vigorously in agreement with the other two men. Hogan rolled his eyes slightly as he met Kinch's gaze. 

"I'm sure that all of you would be more than happy to meet with the Underground tomorrow. Because of that, it's going to be me and Kinch who go and pick up the lieutenant."

**********

Beth stood beside the woman who had introduced herself as Olga, her eyes drifting worriedly around the ramshackle room they were in. Papa Bear was supposed to meet them at this abandoned barn in just a few minutes, and she couldn't help but let a tremor of fear move up her spine. What was going to happen now?

Both women tensed as the sound of footsteps coming towards them suddenly reached their ears, and Olga's hand reached down to rest upon the pistol she carried in her pocket. Her grip on the gun relaxed, however, as two men cautiously entered the room. 

"You are late."

One of the men, his pale skin contrasting greatly with his dark hair, shot her an injured glace. His eyes were twinkling, however, and he started to make his way towards her. Olga merely smiled at him, however, before pushing the young woman beside her into their view. 

"Not today, Colonel." 

Both men stopped when they saw her, and Beth could see the surprise flitting across their faces. It was apparent that they hadn't been expecting someone as young as her. For a few moments, they all stood there in complete silence. Then the older of the two men stepped forwards with a warm smile on his face. 

"I'm Colonel Robert Hogan, and this is Sergeant James Kinchloe. We're here to get you home."

**********

Back in Barracks Two, several of the prisoners were preparing for the arrival of the lieutenant that had heard about. Carter was merely sitting on his bunk, however, his eyes keeping a close watch on Newkirk. He was starting to get worried about his friend. The Englishman was usually a very sound sleeper, but for the last several weeks, he had been barely sleeping at all. Carter knew that something was up with him, but he just couldn't put his finger on what it was.

Newkirk suddenly realized like he was being watched, and he gave an irritated sigh. 

"Andrew, why the bloody hell are you staring at me again?" 

Carter's face turned red as he mumbled an intelligible answer. Their argument was stopped before it had a chance to start, however, when one of the bunks rose, revealing the secret tunnel beneath it. LeBeau's head popped up and he gave the two of them a sly grin. 

"Mon colonel and Kinch have returned. You must come and see the girl who is with them." 

He gave a very loud sigh as he pulled his head back down. Carter and Newkirk both stared at each other before they rushed after LeBeau. All three of them were waiting in the tunnel by the time Hogan and Kinch had gotten there. Hogan stepped up and held out his hand before they could even say a word. 

"She is only here until we can get her safely out of the country. She is nineteen years old, and you will leave her alone. Do I make myself clear?" 

All three of them nodded meekly, but the grin that was playing at the edges of Hogan's mouth let them know that he was only partly serious. As they watched, the colonel motioned for Kinch to bring the young woman forward. The men's eyes widened considerably when they saw her, and Beth couldn't help but let a slightly self-satisfied smile come to her face. 

She was about five feet, six inches tall, and the curves of her body were accented by the attractive, though worn, dress she was wearing. Her rich, chocolate-brown hair was cut short, making her appear almost pixyish, and her long eyelashes drew everyone's attentions towards the emerald green eyes underneath them. 

Beth smiled at the shell-shocked expressions on their faces, and she quickly let her own gaze drift over them. One of them, who she guessed was an American, seemed to be only a few years older than her. His mouth was hanging open ever so slightly as he gaped at her. 

Her attention slowly moved past him to a short Frenchman, who was staring at her with an expression that she had seen many times before. She stared at him for a few seconds before moving on to the last man in the group, who was obviously a fellow member of the RAF. As she moved her eyes over his face, she felt a sudden rush of familiarity shoot through her spine. She had seen him before, she knew it. 

Beth stared at him for a few moments before forcing her eyes to move away. 

"So... Are you going to tell me your names, or are you going to make me guess?" 

Their faces turned red as they quickly stepped up to introduce themselves. The young American stepped forwards, his mouth hanging open ever so slightly. 

"I'm Sergeant Andrew Carter, and I'm glad to meet you." 

He didn't seem to know how to welcome her until she held out her hand. He quickly grasped it and shook practically her whole arm. The older man wearing the RAF uniform finally walked up and pried Carter's hand off her arm. 

"What the hell are you trying to Andrew, break her arm?" 

He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently. 

"I'm Corporal Peter Newkirk. Pleased to meet you." 

Their eyes met for a moment, and neither of them seemed able to draw them away. Beth stared at him in confusion, his name ringing in her ears. That name, Peter Newkirk, seemed so familiar. Where had she heard it before? 

The thought was forced out of her mind as the Frenchman, LeBeau, pushed past Newkirk and gave her a wide smile. 

"Welcome to our humble abode, mademoiselle." 

She leaned down as he placed the customary French welcome on her cheeks. 

"I am Corporal Louis LeBeau." 

Their eyes met each others, and LeBeau let his face twist into a large grin. He shrugged his shoulders slightly before placing a kiss directly on her lips. After he pulled away, her face flushed ever so slightly before she smiled at him. Colonel Hogan, on the other hand, didn't seem very pleased. 

"LeBeau..." 

The Frenchman smiled before responding. 

"Do not worry, mon colonel, I will not do anything such as that again."

Beth grinned slightly before giving out a small laugh. 

"Would any of you like to know my name, or would you prefer if I merely answered to 'mademoiselle'?" 

The men's faces once again turned red, causing her to burst out laughing. 

"My name is Lieutenant Elisabeth Renee McHenry, of the RAF. I'd prefer it if you would either call me Lieutenant McHenry or Beth, however." 

As she said her name, Newkirk's eyes suddenly widened in surprise. With a jolt, Beth suddenly remembered where she had heard that name before. A silent gasp escaped her lips as their eyes met once more, and for just a moment she was an eight-year-old child once again.

**********

__

Beth sat in her uncle's lap, staring down at the small picture in the locket he had given her for her birthday. 

"Uncle Jack, is this my mum?" she asked, pointing at the beautiful young woman in the picture. 

Jack McHenry smiled back at her, a slightly misty expression coming to his eyes. 

"Yes Beth, that was your mum. She was my little sister, 'Lisabeth." 

Her eyes grew wide, and she looked back down at the picture. 

"She had the same name as me, didn't she Uncle Jack?" 

He smiled at the shock expression on her face and gently wrapped his arms around her. 

"Yes Beth, she had the same name as you."

Her eyes lingered on the picture again, staring at the young man who was standing beside her mother. 

"Is this my father, Uncle Jack?" 

She looked up at him, questions burning in her eyes. Jack gave a small sigh when he looked at the picture of his brother-in-law. 

"Yes Beth, that's your father. He's my brother-in-law, Peter."

She stared up at her uncle for a moment, uncertainty shining in her eyes. 

"Is he dead like my mum? Is that why I live with you and not him?"

Jack stared at her for a moment, tears prickling at the edges of his eyes. 

"No Beth, he isn't dead. I don't think that he is at least." 

She stared at him for a moment, her face bright with confusion. 

"I don't understand Uncle Jack."

He sighed and pulled her closer to him. 

"Your parents were very young when you were born. Your mum, as you know, died giving birth to you. After that, Peter couldn't take care of you. He was still just a kid himself."

Beth stared up at him with wide eyes. 

"So, he didn't want me?" 

Jack shook his head quickly. 

"No Beth, that isn't it at all. He wanted you so much, but he couldn't raise you. He asked me and your Auntie Anna to take care of you until he was ready to come back."  


Beth stared up at him with sad eyes. 

"But Uncle Jack, I'm already eight. Will he ever come back?" 

Jack just stared at her sadly, his hands laying gently on her shoulders. 

"I don't know Beth. I just don't know."

She looked once again at the small picture. She carefully ran her fingers across the gold writing at the bottom of the picture. 'Peter and Elisabeth Newkirk, 1924.'

**********

Beth stared at the man across from her, the man whose face was captured forever inside the locket that still hung around her neck. It wasn't possible that he could be her biological father, it just wasn't possible. Besides, he was too young--much too young. Someone as young as him couldn't be... No, there had to be some mistake.

By now, the others had noticed that something was going on between the two of them. After a few moments of silence, Hogan quietly cleared his throat, a curious expression on his face. When neither of them even looked in his direction, however, his curiosity seemed to melt away into annoyance. 

Before Hogan could say anything though, Carter reached out and gently grabbed him by the arm. He looked down at the younger man in surprise, but Carter's eyes weren't even on him. Instead, they were focused on the scene that was playing out in front of them. 

"Newkirk?"

At the sound of his name, Newkirk glanced at the young American for just a moment. There was an expression of seriousness on the young man's face unlike anything he had ever seen, and he couldn't help but listen to his quiet words. 

"Does she have something to do with the Elisabeth person that you've been having dreams about?" 

Newkirk could feel his friend's shooting surprised glances in his direction, and he quickly shot Carter a annoyed look that bordered on angry. It was apparent that the damage was done, however, as the young woman's eyes widened in shock.

"Elisabeth? As in my mum? My God, you are him. You are my father."


	3. What Is He Like?

Author's Note #1: If you have previously read this chapter, I highly suggest that you read it once more. In order to make events that transpire seem a little more plausible, I have chosen to change some of the facts that were previously stated. Also, I have tried to improve certain aspects of my writing, since my skills have progressed some since I started this story two years ago.

Author's Note #2: See first chapter for all other story information.

**********

Newkirk was well aware that his friends were staring at him in shock, just as he was aware of the young woman in front of him. For a few moments, however, he stood there in silence, his eyes focused on the girl standing before him. How could he not have known who she was? She looked exactly like Elisabeth. 

Their eyes suddenly met, and he finally noticed the hurt expression that was shining in them. He quickly moved his gaze from her, his answer to her question barely more than a mumble. 

"I guess that I am. Not that I bloody deserve it though."

The other men knew better than to say anything as Newkirk, without saying another word, turned and climbed up the ladder that led to the barracks. Hogan let his eyes follow him though, even though he could tell that the Englishman needed time alone. A quiet sob quickly brought his attention back to the young woman standing behind him.

Beth was still standing in the same spot, but there were now tears silently streaming down her face. There was a shocked expression on her face, and her skin was positively white. In fact, Hogan realized with a start, she looked as if she was about to faint at any given moment. Luckily, however, he wasn't the only person who noticed that fact. As she started too slump to the floor, Kinch quickly stepped forwards and grabbed her.

**********

Beth opened her eyes slowly. Where was she? As the memories of the night before came back to her, she quickly sat up. She was laying on a small cot in the tunnel she had been brought into. Sitting there on the cot, the pain she had felt earlier seemed to bombard her.

She had always pictured her father as a scoundrel, like many of the men she had met throughout her youth. Someone who couldn't be trusted for anything and who wouldn't be trustworthy enough to be accepted by anyone but himself. For the love of God, the man had abandoned his own child. 

What was confusing her was the fact that the man she had seen the night before hadn't appeared to be any of those things. He seemed close to the other men there, and he was being trusted with a secret that could have him, and hundreds of other people, killed on the spot.

Beth let out a quiet moan of confusion as she brought her hands up to rest on her temple. The Peter Newkirk that she had briefly met the night before wasn't anything like she had pictured him. But there had to be a reason behind him leaving... Her voice barely above a whisper, she quietly spoke. 

"Why the hell did he not want me?"

"I'm still not exactly sure what's happening, but I can tell you that I'm pretty sure he did want you." 

Beth let out a startled gasp before trying to spin wildly around. Since she was still sitting on the cot, however, she only managed to send herself sprawling onto the floor. Her face practically glowing in embarrassment, she slowly lifted her gaze to the doorway. The young American sergeant was standing with a tray of food in his hands, a mortified expression on his face. 

"Oh! I'm sorry about that Lieutenant McHenry, I didn't mean to scare you. I thought that you saw me. Oh, by the way, I'm not sure that you remember me from last night, but I'm Sergeant Carter. You can just call me Carter though. Or Andrew, I guess. It really doesn't matter to me." 

While he babbled, the young man lay the tray of food down on a small table beside the wall and hurried over to help her up off the ground. Beth gave him a wry grin as she carefully dusted off her clothes. 

"It's fine, Carter. You just surprised me. I wasn't expecting anyone to come in here this early in the morning." 

Beth paused for a moment as a sudden thought crossed her mind. 

"It is early in the morning?"

A wide grin crossed Carter's face as he nodded. 

"Yes ma'am, it's still pretty early in the morning. LeBeau, he's the French corporal who gave you that warm welcome last night, made you some breakfast. Colonel Hogan will be down here in a minute to talk with you about getting back to England, and Kinch is on the radio with London right now."

The curiosity that was shining in his eyes was obvious even to Beth, and she couldn't help but smile as his voice seemed to become almost hesitant. 

"Are you really Newkirk's daughter? I mean... You don't look very much like him. And.... Sheesh lieutenant, I don't think any of us know what to make of it. Newkirk's not talking, and you haven't been talking, and we're not supposed to ask you anything about any of this..." 

Carter's voice trailed off as he suddenly realized what he had just said. His face reddened, and the only thing that came out of his mouth was a strangled "oops."

Beth let a weak smile come to her face as she shrugged her shoulders slightly. 

"That's fine, Carter. I promise not to faint again. I think that I was just a little overwhelmed last night. I mean, meeting my long-lost father was not that high on my current list of expectations." 

Her eyes dimmed just a bit as she met the young American's eyes. 

"And please, I would rather you call me Beth. The only reason that my rank is that of a lieutenant is because..."

Beth's voice trailed off slightly, and her eyes grew even more distant. 

"I guess the reason isn't very important."

Carter stared at her for a moment in surprised silence, but his curiosity finally got the better of him. 

"So you really are Newkirk's daughter? Sheesh, who would guess that someone like him would have a kid. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but he just doesn't seem like the type. Besides, he couldn't have been very old when you were born. I mean, I don't know exactly how old he is but Newkirk can't be older than..."

"Thirty-five." 

Both of them turned in surprise at the sound of the quiet voice coming from behind them. Newkirk was standing there, an expression on his face that was impossible to read. 

"I was eighteen."

Without saying another word, the older man turned and walked off--leaving them standing there in surprised silence. After a moment, Beth slowly sat back down on the cot. When she spoke a few moments later, it was more to herself than to the American standing near her. 

"I never thought about how young that truly was--a year younger than what I am now. I mean, I know what Uncle Jack said, but still..."

"Who's this 'Uncle Jack' of yours?" 

Carter grinned slightly, trying his best to lighten the mood. Beth smiled gently at his question, her eyes brightening a little with remembrance. 

"Uncle Jack was my mum's older brother. He and my Aunt Anna practically raised me. If it hadn't been for them, who knows what might have happened to me."

Carter slowly nodded in understanding. 

"I get it. They took you in after Newkirk..." 

He trailed off as the sound of someone clearing their throat sounded from behind him, followed by Colonel Hogan's distinctive voice. 

"Carter!"

The younger man flinched at the tone in which Hogan had said his name, and he quickly shot Beth a rueful look. 

"Um... I was just leaving Colonel Hogan. See, I was just delivering Beth her breakfast." 

He suddenly realized that the try of food was still sitting on the table where he had laid it down. Giving the colonel a sheepish grin, he slid past him and hurried on down the tunnel. 

Hogan gave an exasperated sigh before picking up the tray and slowly handing it to her. 

"I'm sorry about that Lieutenant, sometimes Carter seems to have his mind in another..." 

His eyebrows suddenly raised as something the young American had said clicked in his mind. 

"Did I just hear him call you Beth?"

A giggle burst from her lips, followed by a few moments of quiet laughter. Hogan gave her a confused look, but didn't comment. He merely shook his head in amusement until her face once again grew somber. An apologetic expression made it way to her face as she quickly glanced down at the floor.

"Do you know how long until they can get me out of the country?"

Hogan sighed quietly before giving her a sympathetic look. 

"London says that it will probably be at least a week, maybe more. So I guess that you're stuck with us for awhile."

"Well then, I guess that Corporal Newkirk and I will have to work something out between us." 

Beth emphasized the word 'corporal', flinching just a little at how cold her words sounded even to her. Hogan, noticing her chilliness in her tone, forced a cheerful expression to make its way onto his face.

"Do you want me to send him here to talk with you? I can order him to come if you want me to." 

She smiled at the particularly unenthusiastic appearance that his face now held before ruefully shaking her head.

"No, I'll talk with him. I'm sure that we can work something out. We're both adults." 

The look on her face seemed to disagree with her last statement, but Hogan knew better than to comment on that fact. He also knew better than to ask her any of the questions that were burning inside of him. The lieutenant was going to be there for a while, and he would have more than enough to time to find out about her.

Beth stood up slowly, a inquisitive light shining in her eyes. In a hesitant voice, she quietly spoke to Hogan.

"Colonel Hogan, before I leave... Do you think that it would be possible for you to tell me... anything. About my... About the corporal."

Hogan nodded in understanding before gesturing for her to sit back down. A reflective light flickered in his eyes as he started to speak. 

"Well, Newkirk is definitely someone to be curious about. I really can't tell you very much about his past, being that he's usually pretty secretive, but I'll try to tell you everything that I know."

He paused for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his face. After a moment, a boyish smile lit up his features. 

"The first thing that you should know about him is that he can pick practically any lock made by the hands of man."

**********

Newkirk sat on his bunk, a million thoughts racing through his mind. He quietly muttered to himself, looking up every few minutes to glare at anyone who had the gall to stare at him.

"Why the bloody hell did she have to show up here? I was just starting to put all of that being me, just starting to put 'Lisabeth behind me... Damn it all to hell, I wasn't ready to be a father then, and she better not expect me to be one now." 

He moaned as the bunk that stood over the entrance to the tunnel started to rise. A sigh escaped his lips as he tiredly shook his head. 

"And that will be the colonel, coming up to give me a good..." 

His voice trailed off as Beth's head peeked through the tunnel's entrance, her eyes quickly catching sight of him. With a sigh of her own, she carefully pulled her entire body out into the barracks. Most of the other men in the room stared at her for a moment, but--after catching sight of the expressions on both hers and Newkirk's faces--they quickly turned their attention elsewhere.

Ignoring the blatant glare that Newkirk was shooting in her direction, Beth placed a stony expression on her face and walked towards him. 

"What the hell are you doing up here? How do you expect to explain your presence when one of the guards walks in?"

Beth held up her hand, her fingers silently counting to three.

"That is not going to happen, because I'm only going to be up here for a few minutes. But I'm not leaving until we... talk. You can either sit there and listen to me, or we can go back into the tunnel, but the two of us are going to..." 

The color drained from her face as the door to the barracks swung open, followed by a rather large German sergeant walking into the room. Shultz immediately froze, his gaze lingering on the scene that was before him.


End file.
